By David Odama
The Independent national electoral commission (INEC) has announced plans to introduce a digital system that will allow some voters to download and replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the initiative is part of efforts to make voter registration and participation easier through technology.
However, he clarified that the downloadable PVC option will only be available to voters who had previously collected their original PVCs but later lost them, damaged them, or could no longer read the details on the cards.
“It is not for everyone. You must have collected your PVC before it can be replaced through the digital platform,” he explained.
The INEC chairman said affected voters would be required to report the loss or damage at least 90 days before an election to enable the commission process the replacement.
He disclosed that the commission plans to test the new system during the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August.
Amupitan also revealed that INEC is developing another technology that will allow Nigerians to register as voters completely online without visiting registration centres for physical biometric capture.
According to him, the innovation is currently undergoing final testing and could be rolled out once it receives approval from the commission.
He said the reforms are designed to remove barriers that prevent eligible Nigerians from registering and participating in elections.
While highlighting the commission’s technological advancements, Amupitan stressed that credible elections depend not only on technology but also on informed and active citizens.
He said voter education remains critical, noting that even the best electoral technology would achieve little if voters become discouraged, misinformed or lose confidence in the electoral process.
The INEC chairman called on the National Orientation Agency to intensify efforts in educating Nigerians about voter registration, voting procedures and the use of available digital platforms.
He noted that many citizens are still unaware that they can access several voter services online, including locating their polling units before election day through an INEC mobile application.
Amupitan also dismissed claims that the commission secretly kept over 400,000 PVCs for distribution to supporters of a political party during the recent Ekiti governorship election.
He described the allegation as false and misleading.
According to him, investigations later showed that the cards seen in the viral video were membership cards belonging to a political party and not voter cards issued by INEC.
He warned that false information and conspiracy theories could discourage citizens from voting by creating the impression that elections are already compromised.
The INEC chairman said tackling misinformation must be a joint effort between the commission and the NOA to rebuild public trust and encourage greater participation in future elections.
